Natural Remedies for Mouth Ulcers

If you're prone to frequent bouts of mouth ulcers, why not try some of the following natural remedies which are aimed at decreasing healing time and alleviating pain.

Saltwater Rinse

Saltwater is a natural disinfectant and can relieve pain as well as speed healing.

At the first sign of a mouth ulcer, dissolve one teaspoon of natural salt such as sea salt in 100ml warm water.

Swish the solution around in your mouth for 30 seconds.

Spit, and then rinse your mouth with fresh water.

Sodium Bicarbonate

Often known as baking soda, sodium bicarbonate is alkaline and can neutralize acids as well as killing bacteria in the mouth (8).

Rinse your mouth with a solution of one teaspoon baking soda in 100ml warm water or cover the ulcer with a paste made of baking soda and a little water.

Honey

As a natural antibacterial agent, honey can be an effective remedy for mouth ulcers.

It can also help to keep the area moist. In one study (9), volunteers who were suffering from sore mouth and mouth ulcers as a side-effect of cancer treatment were advised to apply honey to their ulcers.

The honey resulted in faster healing and less pain.

Use raw honey and apply it to the ulcer. Mix in a little anti-inflammatory turmeric to help healing.

Chamomile contains compounds with antiseptic and soothing properties, which may speed the healing of mouth ulcers.

Studies have shown chamomile can help reduce inflammation in the oral mucosa (22).

Drink warm chamomile tea or place a chamomile teabag on the ulcer.

Vitamin C

Low levels of vitamin C can be linked to poor immune function.

If you are prone to mouth ulcers, it's usually a sign your immune system could do with a little support.

As well as making sure you are including plenty of vitamin C rich foods in your diet like kiwi, citrus fruits, mango, berry fruits, kale and papaya, you may benefit from taking extra vitamin C as a supplement.

Choose one that's gentle on your stomach, such as one containing magnesium ascorbate.

Zinc

Researchers found giving a zinc supplement to people with low blood zinc levels was shown to reduce the number of times they suffered from mouth ulcers by 50 - 100% (23).

Zinc plays a role in immune function because it is an essential component of many enzymes which are involved in the development of immune cells.

Zinc lozenges can be helpful as they deliver zinc to the tissues of the mouth.